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Hatha Yoga is essentially yoga for health. Many people in the modern world know Yoga as Hatha yoga. While following the principles of Raja Yoga, Hath Yoga is one of the six major branches of yoga that dates some 5,000 years back and has its roots in India.
A strong body with a quieter and more focused mind is what this yoga form has to offer. It is a complete yoga system that comprises of exclusive yoga postures, breathing techniques, conscious relaxation and meditation.
Etymologically “Ha” means sun and “Tha” means moon and “Hatha” together in Hatha Yoga means display of both the solar and lunar forces (our masculine and feminine energies) to reach a greater height as a human being.
This is peculiarly a physical yoga practice and much popular amongst the new generation. It works to renew, invigorate, and heal the mind and body of the person, besides stretching and strengthening muscles, joints, and spine. It also directs blood and oxygen to the internal organs. This is exclusive yoga practice that is based on physical display of vigor of the yogi (the person who is practicing the poses).
How to do Hatha Yoga?
When you practice Hatha yoga, you must take note of the way you breathe. This yoga exercise calls for breathing through the nostrils and not the mouth. Breathing through the nostrils is more beneficial as compared to breathing through the mouth.
This is because breathing through the nostrils warms the air so when the air ultimately reaches your body, its temperature is slightly higher. Other than that, nostril breathing increases the length of your breathing making it even deeper ensuring that more energy reaches every cell of your body.
It is extremely important for you to practice posture correctly while practicing Hatha yoga. So for instance if you are standing make sure that your feet stand firm on the ground and press the floor. The toes should also be spread.
If you are straightening your legs, make sure that you extend your knees way too much. You bell should be kept soft so that you can breathe easily. Shoulder blades should be kept loose and as if they are hanging towards the floor, while your chest should be pushed forward and shoulders backward.
Prior entering a particular pose, take a long deep breath to expand the body and lengthen the spine. Now exhale into the pose. Avoid exhaling if you are instructed to do otherwise. While you enter a pose you may find yourself in a not so comfortable position at times or something may even be hurting you. In such situations it is always better to skip or alter the pose than to strain yourself to do it. Make sure you don’t overstress yourself while performing this exercise.
There are some kinds of yoga that ask you to keep your eyes closed. However in Hatha Yoga your eyes should be open. But make sure that you are not straining your eyes by stressing on a particular thing. Keep your eyes soft by not focusing on one particular object.
Once you have learnt the techniques of hatha yoga, begin regular practice, you could practice it once in a day or once in a week depending upon your interest and convenience. But keep in mind that more you practice it; the more you are going to be comfortable with the poses of this exercise.
If you want you can even seek the help of a yoga instructor or a DVD to understand this yoga form better.
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